Driving and change-speed gear for velocipedes, &amp;c.



. I PA I L. 'JEAN-B'APTISTE'SAVBYQ DRIVING'AND CHANGE SPEED GEAR FOR VELOOIPBDES TENTED, APR; 11

APPLIOATIQN FILED OUT. 26, 1903.

UNITED STATES Patented April 11, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

DRIVING AND CHANGE-SPEED GEAR FOR VELOCIPEDES, &c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Nd."78'7,002, dated April 11, 1905.

Application filed October 26,1903. Serial No. 178,615.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS J EAN-BAPTISTE SAVEY, a citizen of the FrenchRepublic, residing at Uhamousset. France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving and Change-Speed Gear for Velocipedes, &c., of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to driving and changespeed gear for velocipedes and the like, and has for its object to provide a change-speed gear by means of five gear-wheels which serve at the same time as the driving mechanism, whereby the movement of the pedals is transmitted to the backwheel of the velocipede or like vehicle. The first gear-wheel is secured upon the crank-shaft and drives, through two intermediate gears mounted on a sliding sleeve, the smaller or the larger of two further gears of different diameters, which are adapted to actuate the rear wheel of the vehicle at different speeds.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is an elevation of the with a second gear 0, which is connected to the third, d, the two latter loosely revolving on ball-bearings on an intermediate slidingsleeve 0, which can itself rotate loosely on a tube f, secured to the fork 9, connecting the crank-brackets to the axle of the rear wheel. The sleeve 6 can be displaced longitudinally on the tube f in such a manner that when the gear-wheel c is in mesh with the fourth gear it, driving the rear wheel of the vehicle, the gear d will be out of engagement with the gear z', which is connected tothe gear h, or, reversely, when d and t' are in mesh 0 and it will be out of engagement.

The two gear-wheels 7t and z rotate on rollers or balls disposed in any known or usual manner. The wheel 7 is preferably atoothed ring, driven upon the hub of wheel c' so 'tates the ascent of the steepest hills.

tight that it is taken along by friction, but that it may slip for the short while of shifting the sleeve when all four wheels 0, (Z, /t, and 21 are in mesh. The gear-wheel a is sufficiently wide so that its teeth be always in gear with those of the gear-wheel 0 no matter that the sleeve with the intermediate gears be shifted to either end of its play.

The axial displacement of the intermediate sleeve, which by the disengagement of two gears and the engagement of the two adjacent gears, as explained, assures the change of speed in a'manner well known, is produced by a controlling hand-lever connected to the sleeve by a rod k, which may be turned by the rider into either of the positions or (shown inFig. 3,) thereby giving to said sleeve a turn of about ninety degrees.

The sleeve '0 consists of two parts screwed one to the other, as shown", and is provided with two inclined planes or sloping grooves Z, diametrically opposite each other and preferably on opposite sides. Bolts m, secured to the frame, enter the grooves Z, so that by giving a short turn to the sleeve by means of rod k and handle 7' it is compelled to slide axially upon the tube f, owing to the inclines Z being in contact with the bolts m.

This system of changing the speed facilli- T 1e mechanism cannot get out of order, and the taking apart of the same-canbe accomplished in all cases instantaneously. Preferably the series of gear-wheels should be protected by a light casing .made in two pieces, so that it may easily be removed. 7

Having thus described the nature of my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Driving and change-speed gear for velocipedes and the like, comprising a driving gearwheel, a crank-shaft carrying said wheel, a pinion on the rear wheel of the vehicle, intermediate gears, one larger than the other,

.alternately in mesh with said pinion and the larger one in constant mesh with the drivingwheel. an intermediate sleeve 0 movable axially, a tube f serving as a guide for said sleeve in its axial displacements, a fork-g, of the cycle carrying the tube f, said sleeve carrying In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my revolubly the intermediate gears, inclined hand in presence of two witnesses. slots in said sleeve, pins or bolts secured to the frame being adapted to engage said slots,

5 and means to give a short turn to said sleeve, Witnesses: substantially as described and for the purpose PIERRE GALoN, set forth. JOSEPH BmvY. 

